PRODUCT CARE GUIDE
CARING FOR YOUR STAINLESS STEEL COUNTERTOP
SUS304 stainless steel is built to last. Almost every problem we are called about traces back to how the countertop was treated during renovation — not to daily cooking.
RULE 01
NO ACID
Not on it, not near it, not in the air around it.
RULE 02
NO ABRASIVES
Steel wool and scouring pads scratch the finish permanently.
RULE 03
WIPE IT DRY
Soap, water, then dry — that is the whole routine.
HOW IT WORKS
THE INVISIBLE LAYER THAT KEEPS IT CLEAN
Stainless steel protects itself. Oxygen in the air reacts with the surface to form a thin passive oxide layer that resists rust and staining, and it rebuilds itself continuously.
Acid is the one thing that defeats it. Cleaning chemicals, soy sauce, citrus and other fruits can strip the layer away, and wherever it is missing the steel underneath can spot or discolour. This is why almost every instruction on this page is really the same instruction: keep acid off the steel.
It also explains something that surprises people. After you clean a stain off, you may see a faint difference in colour where you worked. Nothing is wrong — the passive layer has not finished reforming. It reforms completely overnight.
RENOVATION & INSTALLATION
This is where the damage happens. Brief your contractor and your post-renovation cleaners before any work begins.
A · HYDROCHLORIC ACID
Some contractors use hydrochloric acid to clean grout, tiles and other stubborn spots, and some cleaners reach for products that contain acid without realising it. Acid attacks stainless steel on contact, and its fumes attack it from across the room, leaving brown spots or patches.
The fumes are not fussy about what they corrode. Hinges, appliances and electronics are all at risk. Tell your vendors and contractors not to use acid anywhere near the kitchen once the countertop is installed. If acid genuinely must be used, it has to happen before installation, with the room aired out for three to four days afterwards.
B · METAL FILINGS
Drilling and other metalwork nearby throws iron dust into the air, and it settles on whatever is below. Those particles rust where they land and leave red spots on the surface. Keep the countertop covered whenever work is being done anywhere near it.
C · SILICONE SEALANT
Some RTV silicone sealants are acidic and are not suitable for use near stainless steel. Always specify a neutral-cure, mould-resistant sealant — DOWSIL 786 and DOWSIL 680 are both suitable.
D · CLOTHS
Anyone doing post-renovation cleaning should use new, unused cloths on the countertop. A cloth that has been used elsewhere in the house carries chemical residue with it, and that residue ends up on the steel.
GENERAL CLEANING & USAGE
Once the kitchen is yours, the routine is short.
DO
SOAP, WATER, DRY CLOTH
Mild dish soap and water on a soft, clean cloth is all that general cleanliness needs. Follow it by wiping dry with paper towel or a soft cloth, which is what prevents watermarks. Use a cloth that has not been used elsewhere — it may be carrying chemicals you cannot see.
STEEL CLEANER, IF YOU LIKE
Off-the-shelf stainless steel cleaners work well and can be used as often as you want. They are a preference, not a requirement.
DO
DO
OXALIC ACID FOR STAINS
For minor but stubborn stains, an oxalic-acid cleaner such as Bar Keepers Friend is the right tool. Follow the product's own instructions closely, and expect a slight colour difference afterwards until the passive layer reforms.
DON'T
DON'T
ABRASIVE CLEANERS
Steel wool and Scotch-Brite pads will damage the finish, and the damage does not buff out. Keep them away from the countertop entirely.
ACIDS LEFT SITTING
Cleaning chemicals, soy sauce, citrus and other fruits all strip the protective layer if they are left on the surface. You do not need to avoid them — just wipe them off rather than leaving them to sit.
THE SHORT ANSWER
A STAIN OR A SCRATCH IS COSMETIC.
IT IS NEVER FUNCTIONAL.
Our countertops are made from SUS304 stainless steel, so a mark on the surface is exactly that — a mark on the surface. Nothing about the way your countertop works has changed, and it will serve you well for many years.
TAKE THE LEAFLET WITH YOU
The printed care sheet covers the same ground on one page — useful to hand to a contractor or a cleaner before work starts.
STILL UNSURE?
If something has appeared on your countertop and you are not sure what it is, send us a photograph before you try to clean it.
+65 9236 7593
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